A Call To The Remnant

Mark 8:27 Whom do men say that I am?

Interesting question from the Lord. He asks that question to his disciples and they start to tell him what other men say about Him, but he wants to know what they say. What do people think about you? People in general may have some idea who you are, but your friends, your family, your co-workers, what do they say? Who do men say you are?

Who are you fundamentally? What is the thrust of your life? Now I am not asking how you performed today or this week, I am asking who are you? If people had to put something on your headstone, what would it be? What is the thrust of your life? Is Jesus the passion that drives your being? Is God the essence and the affection of your heart? We know that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. What does your mouth speak? We know that men who are passionate about politics speak about politics. We know that if a man is passionate about sports he speaks about sports. And these people who are passionate about sports or politics know all about their chosen passion. They know names and stats and history. They will take any opportunity to speak about their passion whether it be at home or work or standing in a line at the supermarket. It takes very little for them to want to engage people about their passion.

Are you known for your passion for the truth? Do men know you because of your love and compassion? Do people really know who you are? I have heard people speak of friendship evangelism. You know, befriending people and being nice and kind and hopefully they will see Jesus in you and that this will lead them to ask you questions and then you can share about Jesus. Now, I am not against any of the elements of that. In fact we should be loving and kind and generous people above all people as genuine saints. People should be drawn to us because of the love of God in us for the world and for our brothers and sisters.Yet I believe that too often this is a cop-out for remaining silent. Its kinda akin to humanism. You just want to be nice to everyone and you don’t really want to rock any boats and you certainly do not want to risk losing favor or friendship over certain subjects, so you simply shy away from any of that and then to appease your conscience you turn that into a virtue.

So let me ask you this. When was the last time you really engaged anyone in a meaningful conversation about Jesus, about the truth, about heaven and hell, about eternal life, about the consequences of dying without being born again? Have you ever spoken to a single person about the wages of sin being death? I understand you want to be loving and kind and generous to all men, but if you were to truly be honest about your motivations for why you do what you do or do not do, would it really be about honoring God and sharing the love and the truth of the Gospel or would it be something else? You know, interestingly enough in the very same chapter that I shared the Scripture ” who do men say I am,” Mark chapter eight, it ends with these words

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mar 8:38)

Now I do not share that to put a snare on anyone. I simply would like you to examine your self in this matter. We are told in the Scriptures to go out into the highways and byways of this world and compel men to come into the Kingdom of God. When was the last time you compelled anyone on this matter with any kind of passion? When you remain silent, is it really because you love people? Is it possible that you may, on some level, be afraid or ashamed to share the truth of Jesus in this ” adulterous and sinful generation?”

Brothers and sisters. Time is short, we live in such a generation. Who is that family member or co-worker or neighbor that for whatever reason you have been holding back from sharing the truth? And I am not talking about missing one or two opportunities to share, I am talking about the fact that you may be fundamentally silent, deliberately so, for any number of reasons. Can I challenge you. The very next opportunity that presents itself through the Holy Spirit, will you take it? Will you be bold? Will you risk something? Share the truth in love with this starving generation. Political correctness has all but shut the mouths of most people. Can I tell you, it was politically incorrect to share the truth about Jesus 2000 years ago. Each Apostle and early believer paid a dear price. Perhaps they should have just remained silent and loved and be nice to people? I am glad that they did not. I am glad that they were not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for they knew that it was the power of God unto salvation. A huge portion of the power of God comes through people who are not ashamed of the Gospel.

Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. To those who acknowledge Jesus before men, Jesus says He will acknowledge them before His Father in heaven. There is great power in acknowledging Jesus before men, in preferring Him above all other things. The power that lies before the throne of God belongs to those who are unashamed of Jesus before men. Are you lacking power brothers and sisters? Begin to openly acknowledge God in all that you do before men and you will be filled by the power of God. The world desperately needs to hear about Jesus, do not let the times in which we live in silence you before men. Only the truth can set men free and you have been called to be bearers of the truth and of the light and of the love of God, all of these go hand in hand and is the power of God unto salvation.